£2000 raised for funeral of tragic teen, Blake Ross

A FUNDRAISING drive to pay for a funeral for tragic teenager Blake Ross has raised almost £2000 in less than a day.

Tributes flooded in for the 13-year-old, who died just hours after he was discovered ill on a Lothian bus on Monday afternoon – two days after he was reported missing without his medication.

Relatives of Blake, who was diabetic and lived at the St Katharine’s care unit in Howdenhall, set up a JustGiving page in order to give the teenager “the send off he deserves”.

Within 24 hours they had smashed the £1000 target.

A message on the crowdfunding page read: “Blake Ross was 13 and suffered a cardiac arrest he was also a diabetic.

“Please help to give him the send-off he deserves.

“He was a much-loved son, brother/triplet, grandson, nephew and great friend to many.

“Blake was such a lovely little boy and I feel us, the community, should do our bit to help give him the send-off he deserves, no matter how big or how small.

“Every little helps. RIP angel xx.”

Blake’s death is currently being treated as unexplained by Police Scotland and detectives are now working to piece together his movements in the 48 hours between going missing on Saturday afternoon and being found on the bus.

He was taken to the Sick Kids hospital after being found around 4pm on Monday and died later that evening.

The city council is now carrying out a review of Blake’s care while the Police Investigations and Review Commission (PIRC) has been instructed to look into police actions relating to the death.

Tributes have poured in for the teenager, including a message from his aunt and uncle, thanking everyone for their support in tracing him over the weekend.

Karen Robertson wrote on Facebook: “Would like to thank everyone for sharing, without social media we would not have found him, so from all the family, thank you.

“Love you to the moon and back wee man, love aunty Karen and Uncle Allan.”

Another relative thanked kind-hearted contributors who donated to Blake’s fund.

She said: “Wow, you are all truly amazing. We are really overwhelmed with all your support and donations.

“Blake was a beautiful boy inside and out.

“We are going to miss him so much.”

Superintendent Lesley Clark of Edinburgh Division said: “We will be continuing to conduct our investigation to establish the full circumstances surrounding Blake’s death and submit our findings to the Procurator Fiscal.

“Our inquiries are ongoing and we would ask anyone with information regarding Blake’s movements between the afternoon of Saturday, February 11 and Monday, February 13 to contact us on 101.”